California State University, San Marcos

California State University, San Marcos is relatively new to the academic arena, opening in 1990 in North San Diego County. But the college has continued to grow in recent years, now encompassing 304 acres of the idyllic San Marcos foothills. The university, which is minutes from the beach and about an hour from the nearly-2,000 acre Palomar Mountain State Park, comprises four colleges. The College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences boasts the highest enrollment with 45% of the student body.

Money estimates the average net price of its undergraduate degrees to be about $132,000 before factoring in state or federal aid. More than 80% of students receive some financial aid, according to the school.

Popular undergraduate majors include business administration, psychology and kinesiology. In addition to the natural outdoor wonders at students’ fingertips, there are also more than 100 organizations to choose from, including ones focused on graphic design, cars, salsa and Minecraft. Plus, students can play on or simply support the San Marcos teams in sports like baseball, golf and soccer. Alumni include snowboarder Shaun White and Blink-182 member Mark Hoppus.